Process and machine for making expanded-metal structures



July 27, 1925. 1,5933% H. E. WHiTE PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURES Filed July 2, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 91 0% 'LZ fx 5? '2? n l lm' IHIHHIHI' HHHHIHI H mpfl umm IHHIMHH IEHHNWHIH u m m n, I umn H l l ll mm H i i i m v 1 1 a July 27, 1926'. 1,593,960

H. E. WHITE PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURES FiledJuly 2. 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Hererffl Whiie,

MTNESSES-RQ July Z7 1926.

H. E. WHWE PROCESS AND momma FOR MAKING EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURES Filed July 2, 1921 nnm mm 5 Sheets-$heet i W r fio ogj g 73 mam; 2

Hera erilz July 27,1926. 593,969

- H. E. WHITE v PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURES Filed July 2, 192-1 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 glnvuu uil Herfierffi}: ite,

H. E. WHITE PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR MAKING EXPANDED METAL STRUCTURES July 27, 1926-. 1,593,960

Filed July 2. 192-1 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 vwe'nfom 327661-212: Whiie,

177 rwsss 55 Fatented 11111211926. i I E] sTA E v insect s PATEN-r GFFIC'E,

1 4 HERBERT IL. WHITE, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNQR TO TRUSCON STEEL COM PANY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN. i

rRocEss AND MAQH INE FOR MAKING nxralvnn'n-mnrat sirnuc'rnnus.

Application filed July 2, 1921. Serial No. 4182350.

This invention re, ates to processes and machines for :making expanded metal structures particularly of the type known as metal lathing, and has primarily for its ob} ject the practicing of a novel process whereby an expanded metal sheet for lathing and other purposes may. be produced economically, accurately, and at much greater speed than heretofore possible, thereby increasing in production. n Heretofore in the making of expanded metalstruc-tures a distinctive requirement of the process employed was that of simultaneously slitting'and stretching the metal,

5 and to perform that operation in a-press or ,punch equipped with cutting and displac-,

.ing dies having the functional and'structural characteristic of making anorderly arrangement of slits in the metal blank and at the same time stretching the metal in the individual strands with the result of'opening the slits into meshes, and thereby ex-; panding the sheet, the final width ofthe sheet being determined bv the extent to which the same may be spread out la erally or narrowed, as may be desired or required. Those processes have not permitted such ec'onomiesand speed of production as are desirablein the mauufactureof expanded. metal sheets, particularly for lathing; Tlherefo're, it is the purpose of the present invention. to so modify the former processes of making expanded metal structures as to entirely obviate the use of reciprocating presses or punches to .provide for slitting' and expanding the sheet, and permitting the use of instrumentalities whereby slitting and. expanding may be accomplished with: very great rapidity and at the same time with all the accuracy necessary, and furthermore without localizing the stretches of the strands or otherwise performing the operation in such a manner as would tend tov produce breakage In carrying out the improved process suitable instrumentalities or mechanism may be employed which we capable of performing the prescribed steps of the process in a satisfactory manner, but for illustrative purposes there are shown inthe drawings certain views-intended to illustrate the several steps of the process, as well as a preferred construction of machine which is employed for carrying the same into eli'ect.

Referring to these drawings or slits which, pierce the metal.

Figure 1 is a pla'nview of a portion'of a sheet metal blank showing the'imtial stage of: the process, that is, the cutting stage i where the blank is formed with regular rows Figure 2 is a sectional view of the cut or slitted metal sheet, also illustrating another step in the process which provides for channellmg the uncut and non-contractibleareas to produce therein grooves which serve to hold the metal sheet: in proper position within the machine, while being operatedupon.

F igurev 3 isa ,cross sectional view of .the metal sheet", which represents the metal. stretching and expanding step of the process whichf opens the slits into meshes and ,stretchesthe metal in the individual strands,

causing the sectionsthus expanded to take the form of troughs projecting to one or. both sides otthe fiat plane of the sheet.

Figure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3 i]-- lustrating another form which may be taken by the slitted sections of the sheet when the strands are stretched and expanded. Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 4 illustrating how the process may be varied to displacethe expanded sections to one side only of the flat plane of the sheet. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view'ofthe final form of the expanded metal structure, representing the material in Figure 3 laterally spread to bring the expanded sections into the flat plane of the sheet. I v Figure-7 is a top; plan view offa. preferred type and construction of the machine which is used in carrying out the present invention. f I

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the form of machine shown in'Figure 7. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional View on the line ,9-9 of Figure 7, illustratingthe general form. and. location of the expanding guides, having an arrangement to produce the stage of Figure 3 of the drawings.

Figure 10 is a detail sectional view on the line 1010 of Figure 9 showing one of the expanding guide members, illustrating the tapering characteristic of the displacing bars which stretch and expand the slitted part of the sheet. 1

, Figure-His a detail sectional View on the line 11-11 of Figure 9, whichgives atop plan view of the arched guiding passthrough each expanding guide.

Like references designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying forward the present invention it is proposed to an and expand inside areas of the metal sheet, that is, between the ribs or plain uncut portions, without buckling or Otherwise producing a contraction or displain uncut porting step operates to make a slitted area in the fiat plane of the sheet. Subsequently, and b entirely .diflerentmeans or instrumentalities the inside slitted sections of the sheet are operated upon to cause a stretching of the metal in the individual strands and a displacement of said slitted portions to one or both sides of the flat plane of the sheet, resulting in the opening up of the slits into meshes and causing the desired or required degree of expansion in the sheet. After that has been accomplished the de formed expanded sheet is drawn or spread out laterally to bring the stretched and expanded areas into the fiat plane, thereby making the finished product.

The above distinctive steps of the present process may well be illustrated by now referring to the preferred construction of the machine employed for carrying the invention into effect. Referring to Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings it will be observed that a machine havin the capacity for performing the process 0 the present inventionpreterably includes in its organization a rotary cutting device which forms the slitted sections of the blank. This cutting device is designated in the drawings generally by the letter C and comprises a past of upper and lower superposed cutter rolls 1 and 2 which are equipped with slitting knives 3. As best shown in Figure 7 of the drawings the slitting knives 3 of the cutter rolls 1 and 2 are grouped in spaced knife units, each of which units may be additionally designated by the reference letter u and these knife units are separated by blank spaces 8 located in the positions where the metal sheet is left with the plain uncut portions The group of slitting knives 3 constituting each of the knife units u are so arranged in shape to produce slits in the, metal sheet having the ex- 1 and 2 .it will leave said sheet ,with slittedi areas y between the uncut areas a}, which slitted areas 7 are cut with parallel lines of during the com- I interrupted slits arranged alternately in adjacent lines so that the slits in each row thereof are disposed in staggered relatiou'to the slits of parallel adjacent rows. This is quite plainly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings and this slitted formation leaves between the slits the uncut strands 4 which may best be seen in Figure 2 of the'drawings.

In the cutting or slitting operation performed by the rotary cutter rolls there is no stretching in the metal. of the strands other than the slight or negligible stretching incident to cutting, thereby leaving the slitted areas 3/ in the flat plane of the sheet represented by the uncut portions :20, so that it requires a separate and subsequent operation to stretch the metal of the strands a to the desired extent to produce the necessary expansion of the metal sheet, and that subsequent step is an important feature of the invention and is'carried out in a plurality of expandingguide units, each of which units is designated by the reference letter G in Figures 9, l0 and 11 of the drawings. The said expanding-guide units G are arran ed in spaced relation corresponding to to t e spaced relation of the slitted areas 3/ of the blank and each of said units is intended to function in connection with one of the slitted areas y to provide for stretching the metal in the strands and for dis placing the slit area out of the flat plane of f the sheet in order to obtain the desired amount of expansion. The action of all of the expanding guide units is necessarily the same, and the operation is uniformly car'- ried out at the same time across the entire width of the sheet, so at this point it will be understood that any desired number of slittcd and uncut areas may be provided for in the metal sheet, it only being necessary to have a corresponding number of knife units in the cutting device, and a corresponding number of the various other units in the machine, which cooperate respectively with the cut and uncut areas in the metal blank.

Referring further to the expanding-guide members (3: the same may be mounted in tion thereof. However, for illustrative purposes there has been selected in Figures 9,

10 and '11 an expanding-guide unit having a guide pass ev which produces-the trough form of Figure 3 of the drawings, and' this expanding-guide unit consists of a pair of lower spaced displacing bars 6 6 havarcher trough-like pass z2.

ingdownwardly Convergent inner sides 7 and provided at their upper edges with the guiding ribs 8 which incline upwardly from theirreceiving ends, as shown in Figure 10 ofthe drawings. Between the pair of lower displacing bars 66 there is arranged a downwardly projecting or depending central displacing bar'i), which is spaced from downward inclination of the guiding rib 10 has the effect on the material shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, namely, that of forcibly displacing respectively. to opposite sidesf of the flat plane of the sheet the era,

ted section of the material. And, by rea- .8011 of; the shapeo'f these displacing barsthe individual strands 4 are necessarily stretched to provide for the opening oi'the sli ts in'to meshes and for producing the amount of expansion desired.

- As indicate' in Figure 4 of the drawings the expanding-guide units may be provided with upwardly and downwardly projecting displacing bars'll and12 respectively which provide for displacing the slitted ma terial. respectively above and below the fiat planeof the sheet, or as suggested iii Figure '5 of the drawings said guides may be prov ded with single displacing bars. 13 so arranged as to displace all of the slitted material, in eachslitted section of the blank,

wholly to one side of the flat plane of the sheet.

Preferably .there is associated with the expanding-guide units, sets of primaryguiding rollsclesignated respectively by the numbers -14' 14...and 15 -15. The set of guiding rolls l t-14 is arranged to receive the cut and 'slitted material from theieed table 16 to which the ,slitted. sheet is delivered from the cutting device C and the said rolls are arranged soias to assist in guiding'the slitted sheet into the receiving end of the expanding-guide units. Also, it is preferable in the use of the first set of primary guiding rolls 1414 tb p'rovidesaid rolls respectively with the inter-fitting ribs and grooves 17 and 18 respectively, which operate as dies to initiate holding grooves 19 in the uncut arr-as of the blank. between the slitted areas. as shown in Figure 2 v of the drawings. The set of rolls 15-15 are likewise provided with ribs and grooves 17 panded toand 18 which cooperate with the holding gro'ores'19 of the metal sheeet to securely hold the same against lateral displacement or movement while it is being moved" throughthe expanding-guide units G.

' Beyond the expanding-guide units G are located sets of ribbing rolls 20-20 and 21-21, between which sets of rolls are arranged suitable guides 22 engaging the grooved portions 19 of the blank sheet to guide it in a straight line through the machine while being operated upon. It is pref;

erable while carrying out the present in-/ vcntion to form the ribbing rolls 20-20 and I 21-21 with interfitting ribs and grooves corresponding to the ribs and grooves 17 and 18 of the primary guiding rolls, but oi.

a greater depth than the said ribs and grooves 17 and 18 so as to have the effect of deepening the grooves 19 to thereby produce high-ribs 23 in the uncut portions of the blank, such high-ribs being a desirable structural characteristic of the finished product and being shown in Figure 6 of the drawin s. In connection wit these ribbing ro lls 20 -20 and 21-21 the high-ribs may be started by the rolls 20-20 and completed as to depth and width by the rolls '21-'21 this operation being provided for by having the ribs and grooves of the rolls 5 21-21 somewhat deeper than those of the rolls 20--20.

In the form shown 1n Figure 3 the metal in the slitted areas is stretched and exure .8 of the drawings) so arranged as to provide between them passes corresponding to the high-ribs 23 so'that such ribs will take into the passes of the bars 24' and 25.

and becegise of the divergencythereof will cause a pulling or spreading out laterally of the expanded sections of the sheet, causing the same to resume the fiat plane as shown in Figure 6. In this final form the product between any two ribs has the strands immediately adjacent the. median line betweensaid ,ribs disposed atopposite inclinations and also has other sections of strands adjacent the ribs disposed at an op posite inclination to theimmediately adjacent strands. This is shown in Figure 6 of the drawings and provides an exceptionally strong expanded section between the high-ribs. 3

The material is drawn through the spreading guide S by the drawing rolls its fullest extent, andpit only gently arranged guidebars 24 and-25 (Fig- 262G; arranged at the delivery end of the said guide S, said-drawing rolls being provided was the spaced ribs and grooves 27 engaging'the' ribbed portions of the blank to provide for positively drawing the latter through the spreading guide, and beyond the said drawing rolls:.26f26 is arranged a pair of truing rolls "28 28 having the p spaced ribs and grooves 29 also engaging t e ribs or the product and serving true up the finished product quite accurately into the final dimensions. Between the drawing and truing rolls 26-26 and 28-28 respectively there are preferably arranged a series of sheet guides 30, which cooperate With the ribs of the blank to assist in properly guiding it through the delivery end of the machine. The various sets of rolls are preferably geared together for unitary operation by means of a system of gears and shafting 31 and. 32 as indicated in Figure 7 of the drawings.

From the foregoing it is thought that the improved process and the preferable manner of practicing it will now be apparent to those familiar with this art without further description; and With reference to the machine it will be understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, such for instance as the point at which the high-ribs are formed,

the detail construction of the expandingguides,. of the spreading guide, ct cetera, may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any or the advantages of the invention.

I claim:- i

1. A method of making expanded metal structures which consists intslitting the portion of the blank to be expanded, and subsequently elongating the strands thereby formed by stretching longitudinally the metal of the strands and displacing the stretched material from the fiat lane of the sheet therebvopening the sits 'nto meshes.-

The method of making expanded metal structures which consists in initially slitting the POIlZlOIl Of the blank to be exanded subsequently elongatingthe strands therebyi'ormed by stretching longitudinally the metal of'the strands anddisplacing the stretched material from. the plane 01 the sheet thereby opening the slits into meshes and expanding the material, and then acting on the blank to cause the same to spread laterally in the flat plane bringing the displaced expanded material into a widened plane.

3. The method of making expanded metal structures which consists in slitting the portion of the blank'to be expanded, leaving the individual strands substantially in the flat plane of the sheet, subsequently eloni aeaeeo gating the strands thereby formed by stretching longitudinally the metal of the strands and displacing the stretched material into trough form projecting respectively upon opposite sides of the sheet, and then moving the sheet laterally to thereby spread the expanded sections into a widened ane.

4.-. The method of making expanded metal structures which consists in moving a metal blank past a rotary cutter to thereby produce slits in a portion of the blank, subsequently cl ngating thestrands thereby formed by stretching longitudinally the metal of the strands and displacing the stretched material beyond the flat plane of the sheet, and then spreading the sheet laterally to thereby bring the expanded section into a widened plane.

A machine for making expanded metal structures including a cutter for producing slits in the sheet, and an expanding guide having mea--s for elongating the strands by causing the stretching of the metal of said strands and displacing the same from the flat plane of'the sheet. v

6. A machine for making expanded metal structures including a rotary cutter for producing slits in the sheet, and an expanding guide having means for elongating the strands by causing the stretching of the metal of said strands and displacing the same fromthe flat plane of the sheet.

7 A machine for making expanded metal structures including a rotary cutting device having means for slitting a portion of the sheet,'and an expanding guide having means for elongatingthe strands by causing the material of the strands as it passes throu h it to be stretched and displaced from he fiat planeof the sheet thereby opening the meshes and producing an expansion of the sheet.

8. A machine for making expanded metal structures including a rotary cutter for pro ducing slits in the sheet, an expanding guide having means for elongating the strands by causing the stretching of the material of the strands and displacing the same from the flat plane of the sheet. 4

9. A machine for making expanded metal structures including a rotary cutter for producing slits in the sheet, an expanding guide having means for elongating the strands by causing the stretching 01 the material of the strands and displacing the same from the 'shcet,. an expanding guide having means for elongating the strands by causing the material of the strands as it passes through it to be stretched and displaced from the flat plane of the sheet thereby opening the meshes and means for spreading laterally the expanded sheet.v

11. A machine for making expanded metal structures including a rotary cutting device having means for slitting a portion of the sheet, an expanding guide having means for elongating the strands by causing the material of the strands as it passes through it to be stretched and displaced from the fiat plane of the sheet thereby opening the meshes and producing an expansion of the material, and a diverging spreadin guide.

12. A machine for making expan ed metal structures including a rotary cutter for producing slits in the sheet, an expanding guide having means for elongating the strands by causing the stretchin of the material of said strands and disp acing the same from the flat plane of the sheet, means for form ing ribs in the uncut ar eas, a spreading guide engaging said ribs, and feeding means.

13. A machine for making expanded metal structures including a rotary cutter for producing slits in inside areas of the sheet, an expanding guide having means for elongating the strands by causing the stretching of the material of the strands and displacing the same from the flat plane of the sheet, means for forming grooves in the uncut portions of the sheet and for engaging said grooves for guiding and holding purposes, and means for spreading laterally the expanded sheet;

14. A machine for making expanded metal structures including a cutter for producing slits in inside areas of the sheet, an expanding guide engaging the slitted areas, means for forming holding and guiding grooves in the uncut portions of thesheet, groove deepening means to produce high ribs, and feeding means.

15. A machine for making expanded metal structures including a cutter for producing slits in inside areas of the sheet, an

' expanding guide operating upon the slitted areas as the sheet is moved through the same. means for forming holding and guiding grooves in the uncut areas, groove deep ening means to produce high ribs, means for spreading laterally the expanded sheet and a feedin machine iaving means for drawing and truing the sheet.

16. A machine for making expanded metal structures including a cutter for producing slits in inside areas of the sheet, an expanding guide arranged to receive the Y slitted sheet from the cutter, means for operating thesaid "guide for producing holding and guiding grooves in uncut portions maintaining unit at the delivery end of the of the sheet, a diverging spreading guide having means engaging said grooves to thereby spread laterally the expanded sheet as it moves through the spreading guide,

and a delivery unit having means engaging the grooves in the uncut portions of the sheet for drawing the same through the machine and truing the delivered product. p

17. A- machine for making expanded metal structures including a rotary cutter for producing slits in inside areas of the sheet, an expanding guide operating u on the slitted areas, a diverging s rea ing guide to cause lateral spreadin 0 the expanded sheet,.and a progressive y arranged series of rolls having interfitting ribs and grooves, the depth of the ribs and grooves of said rolls being varied respectively to initiate guiding and holding ooves in the uncut areas of the sheet, for eepening said grooves producing high ribs, and for drawingvand truing the ribbed expanded product.

18. The method of making expanded a portion of a sheet metal blank to be expanded, 'and subsequently elongating the strands thereby formed by displacing said slitted portion out of the plane of the blank and into angular formation, and stretching the strands of the portion displaced while substantially the original length of the unslitted portion of the blank.

20. The method of making expanded metal structures which consists in slitting a portion of a sheet metal blank to be expanded, and subsequently elongating the strands thereby formed by displacing said slitted portion out of the plane of the blank and into angular formation, and stretching the strands of the portion displaced While maintaining substantially the original length of the unslitted portion of the blank and afterwards laterally expanding the blank and substantially straightening the angular formation back into the flat plane with the remaining portion '01"; the blank.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

HERBERT E. WHITE. 

